Method of producing knitted goods



Aug. 6, 1935. I J. AKGOODMAN METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED GOODS Filed June 20, 1932 Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED. STATES j PATENT OFFICE 2,010,632 I METHOD or raonucmo KNITTED oons.

Jacob A) Goodman, Indianapolis, Ind. Application June 20, 1932,Serial No. 618,336 9 Claims. (01. 66-149 The invention pertains to knitting and is applicable to that type of knitting which is commonly carried out by machine. Machine knitting is conventionally done on a plurality of knitting needles or other instrumentalities usually lying parallel to each other in a bangdescribing a plane, cylinder or other geometric surface. Usually each needle produces a loop in each course to make wales longitudinally ofthe fabric, and the number of active needles in the,

bank determines the width or lateral extent of the fabric being knitted. The fabric in the course of production usually is attached to a take-up mechanism which serves to draw the fabric away from the knitting instrumentalities' as it is formed. The take-up mechanism applies a take-up tension to the fabric which is transmitted therethrough to the course of loops in the process of being knitted and to the knitting instrumentalities. Thus the take-up tension plays an important part in determining the size of the loops being knitted. It also draws the fabric taut and holds the same out of the path ofthe needles during their upward movement to prevent them from piercing through the fabric. Knitting machines are usually designed in such manner aato make the application of a take-up tension imperativej The take-up mechanism may involve the use of various tensioning devices, weights being conventionally employed in many machines such as those of the Cotton type. Such mechanism necessarily imposes a stress upon the fabric which tends to distort the same particularly in the course in the process of formation on the needles, so that an undue amount of tension is likely to strain or rupture-the fabric loops and elongate or pull out the loops in the-course being formed. Such dangers are especially great in fabrics knitted of fine gauge yarn of low tensile strength. 1 Again, the take-up tension is transmitted through i the fabric to the'needles, and the needles being delicate and fine are likely to be strained, bent or broken if the take-up tension is excessive, particularly where the fabric being knitted is composed of heavy or reinforced yarn of considerable tensile strength which can successfully withstand relatively great tension. The. danger of strain on the various parts is, of course, increased by reason of the movement of the needles during the progress of the knitting operation. 2 r

While in the knitting of relatively'widefab rics there is no considerable difllculty in providing a take-up tension which will successfully perform its function without danger of injury to either the fabric or the needles of the knitting machine, in the formation of narrow fabrics and fabrics which are materially decreased in width at various stages. of knitting there is considerable danger that the take-up tension will be excessive and reach strain producing proportions such as will injure the fabric and the knitting instrumen- ,talities. In the knitting of garment fabrics, for

example, it is common practice to diminish the number of active needles in the bank to produce portions of narrower width adapted to shape and conform the garment to parts of the body, and the take-up stress at the knitting point will increase the narrower the fabric is made. Thus in producing certain embodiments of the full fashioned stocking heel construction disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 563,184, filed Septemberlfi, 193l,'it is necessary to-knit portions of the heel tabs of very narrow width withabout three or four knitted loops in a course. Under such circumstances there are only six or\eight loops in the process of formation and acorresponding number of knitting needles which carry the entire stress imposed by the take-up tension, and unless such tension is relatively low both the fabric and needles are likely to be injured as above described. 7

The present invention has for its primary I of proper proportions. Suchregulation is particularly important where the tension produced by the take-up mechanism is such as would ordinarily impose a serious strain. It is possible, I have discovered, to control the effective tension or stress upon the fabric and needles without necessarily reducing the actualtension originat-' ing in the e-up mechanism.

If the fabric being knitted is materially reduced in width at portions of its length the effective tension will be varied accordingly so that in the narrower portions it will not be so great as to strain the fabric,'or cause the formation of undesirable elongated courses which might produce streaks in the finished fabric.

The narrower the fabric being knitted,-and

hence the smaller the number of fabric loops and thefewer the active-needles,--the greater will be the stress imposed by the take-up mechanism on each individual loop and needle. To produce an effective tension of suitable magnitude 1 propose to absorb the stress produced in the fabricby the take-up mechanism in such mannerthat the portion ofthe stress imposed upon each individual needle and loop will mete sumciently great to cause injury. To this end supplemen- 10 neously with theprain fabric on additional needies of the machine. The auxiliary fabric will have a connection with the take-up mechanism.

' and can be taken up thereby together with the in fabric. The same may be knitted of suf- 1 ficient widthto carry substantially the entire stress produced by the take-up mechanism, this being desirable where the main fabric is of very narrow width, or its width may be such that the stress will be shared with the main fabric. In any case there will be no danger'of strain to the main fabric loops or the needles. If the main fabric is narrowed the auxiliary fabric may be widened commensurately' so that during the formation of each course each needle and loop wiil carry the same take-up stress, or as in the practical embodiment illustrated in the drawing the auxiliary fabric may be knit of uniform width throughout its length and sufficiently ample to carry "the take-up tension.

Having now stated the nature of my invention, I will now describe one practical embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates the application of my invention in the knitting of; the heel portion of a full fashioned stocking on a flat knitting machine; and

g. 2 illustrates a stocking blank resulting from the use of my invention. 40" 1 shows conventionally, the needle bank II and take-up mechanism I! of a full fashioned logger. Knitting has progressed to produce the lefi' and angle portions ll of the stocking up to the course lll5. Under prior art practice knit- 45 ting continues to produce loopers courses It to linen-l1 and then the two disconnected heel tabs II are knitted. When sumcient fabric is I knitted to complete the heel tabs, usualhr a coursev of loops is followed by several loopers courses .50 before the fabric is removed from the machine. The heel tabs I! are knitted on the restricted number ofneedles is represented by the width of the tabs and due to narrowing in the heel there isa further diminution of the number of on active needles. Throughout the knitting of the heelv tabs the entire tension of the take-up II is carried by the restricted number f of needles with a correspondingly increased stress distribution to the several needles and to the fabric loopsbeing formed. The less active needles the greater the stress on each needle and this continues to a point where the take-up tension may die:- tort or rupture the loops as they are knitted or. if the knitting yarn is strong as is usually the case in knitting heel tabs, until the needles are strained or beat. This causes serious damage to the machine. The danger becomes greater the narrower the fabric becomes and in knitting rounded heels, such as disclosed in my copending application above referred to, under certain embodiments of which narrowing continues until each tab is knitted on only three or four needles, the danger is so great that some adjustment of the take up tension must be provided for.-

As seen in Fig. 1, when knitting has progressed to the course along line tit-i5, ll knit a number of loopers courses it to the line fli-il as in prior art practice and then instead of rendering the instep needles it inactive, I continue knitting auxiliary fabric 2!! on these needles simultaneously with the knitting of the heel tabs. Thus as the heel tabs grow in length the fabric 26 grows to the same extent and helps the needles knitting the heel tabs to carry the take-up load. By carrying out my method the loops being formed are at no time unduly stressed and there is no stress on the knitting needles that they are not equal to carrying.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 the resultant stocking blank will have the heel tabs it which may be narrowed to am' extent desired. As clearly seen the fashioning marks 23 can be made to meet or closely approach the inside and outside selvage edge 24 and 25 respectively at the terminal course at 22 thout danger of injury because the take-up tension throughout the knitting of the heel tabs has been carried at least in part by the auxiliary fabric 2!. The auxiliary fabric 26 may be knitted separately as shown with its own salvage edges 28 This may be done by knitting with 25 the same yarn or the same grade of yarn used in knitting the leg and ankle fabric or can be knitted of a different kind of yarn. It is preferred to use an inexpensive strong yarn to knit the fabric 2! because this fabric is later removed in the subsequent topping operation. The fabric it may be produced on all or part of the needlesbetween the heel tab needles II, the only requirement being that there be enough needles used to knit the auxiliary fabric to amply carry the take-up stress together with the smallest number of needles used to'knit heel tab courses.

In the article shown in Fig. 2 the outside and inside selvage edges 24 and 25 of the heel tabs and the line of transfer marks 23 practically I come to a point at. 22 and no looping of the terminal course is necessary so that looping courses are not entirely essential.

Itwill be appreciated that the formation of the auxiliary fabric or equivalent stress absorbing means is of particular benefit in connection with the knitting of fabrics of narrow width, such as the stocking heel tabs above described. where fashioning is resorted to in the narrow areas. The manipulation of the fabric loops bytransfer mechanism as well as the stress of the take-up mechanism imposes a strain on the fabric and knitting needles and tends to distort the fabric. By the use of the methodherein described-the transfer operation which fashions the fabric may 4 be more readilyand efliciently carried out without danger of distortion or rupture of the fabric or the production of blind stitches.

Although I have described my invention as appiiedto a Cotton machine it flnds'application" on any knitting machine inwhich knitting is done on a plurality of needles in a bank and the fabric taken up under tension. Although in the speciflc embodiment shown I-narrow the heel tabs of a full fashioned stocking my invention is useful wherever knitting is done to produce fabric so narrow that the take-up tension is'in danger of distorting or rupturing the loops while they are being knitted or of straining the knitting instrumentalities.

What I claim is:

l. The method of forming a fabric which comprises knitting the fabrlc on a plurality of knitting instrumentalities and taking up the fabric as it is formed, applying a take up tension to the fabric and transmitting a stress distributed to the respective knitting instrumentalities, narrow- -l proportions, and withdrawing the tension abing up the fabric as it is formed which includes,

applying a take up tension to the fabric to transmit a stress distributed to the respective knitting instrumentalities, narrowing the article fabric by decreasing the number of instrumentalities engaged in knitting the article fabric, knitting auxiliary fabric integral only at its upper end with the article fabric on instrumentalities not engaged in knitting the article fabric and applying the take up tension to the auxiliary fabric to readjust the stress distribution to prevent iniury, and severing the auxiliary fabric after the take-up tension has been withdrawn from the article fabric.

3. The method of knitting a garment fabric on a plurality of knitting instrumentalities and taking up the fabric as formed, which includes, applying a take up tension to the fabric to transmit a stress distributed to the respective instrumentalities, knitting auxiliary fabric integral with the garment fabric on instrumentalities not engaged in knitting the garment fabric to receive the take up tension and readjust the stress distribution, and removing the auxiliary fabric from the garment fabric after the take-up tension is Withdrawn.

4. The method of knitting a garment fabric on a plurality of knitting instrumentalities and taking up the fabric as formed which includes, applying a take up tension to the fabric to transmit a stress distributed to the respective instrumentalities, narrowing the garmentfabric to form a tab by discontinuing knitting the garment fabric on a group of the instrumentalities, continuing knitting on the instrumentalities that discontinue knitting the garment fabric and forming thereon an auxiliary section of fabric subject to the take up tension integral only at its beginning end with the garment fabric to maintain a stress distribution that will prevent injury, and disconnecting 55 the auxiliary fabric from the garment fabric after the narrowed portion of the garment fabric is no longer subject to the take-up tension.-

5. The method of knitting a garment fabric on a plurality of knitting instrumentalities and taking up the fabric as formed whichincludes, ap-

plying a take up tension to the fabric to transmit a stress distributed to the respective instrumentalities, narrowing the fabric to form a tab by discontinuing knitting the garment fabric on a group of instrumentalities, continuing knitting on the group of instrumentalities that discontinue knitting the garment fabric to form auxiliary fabric integral with the garment fabric under the take up tension, narrowing the tab gradually as the knitting progresses, and maintaining through the auxiliary fabric a stress distribution that will prevent injury, and removing the auxiliary fabric from the garment fabric when the tension is withdrawn from the tab. 4

6. That method of knitting a stocking blank which comprises, narrowing the stocking fabric by knitting on a gradually diminishing number of needles while maintaining a take-up tension on the fabric, and simultaneously knitting auxiliary fabric on needles not engaged in knitting the stocking fabric to receive the take up tension, and removing the auxiliary fabric after the take-up tension has been withdrawn from the stocking fabric.

7. In the knitting of fabric upon a bank of knitting needles under a take-up tension, the method of producing a fabric blank upon a plurality of needles of the bank under a tension transmitted through the fabric to said needles, which tension if concentrated upon such blank-knitting needles might result in strain or breakage thereof, which consists in knitting the blank, and knitting other fabrigl connecting only at its beginning course with the blank besides the blank under said tension simultaneously with the knitting of the blank and upon needles other than the blank-knitting needles so that the tension which would otherwise be concentrated on the blank-knitting needles will be distributed between the blankknitting needles and the needles engaged in knitting the other fabric, and severing the latter'fabric from the blank after the take-up tension has been relieved.

8. The method of knitting a fabric article blank of such character as to be susceptible to injury under normal take-up tension, which comprises knitting the article blank upon needles of a needle bank which includes a group of needles additional to those engaged in knitting the blank, withdrawing the fabric as successive courses are knit by a take-up roll while applying a normal tension through said take-up roll, and during the knitting of the blank distributing the tension developed through said roll to an area of the needle bank including a plurality of needles additional to those engaged in knitting the blank so that the full tension is not concentrated on the article blank or on the particular portion of the needle bank engaged in knitting the same.

9. The method of knitting a narrow fabric article blank including narrow courses only a few wales wide and such as to be susceptible to distortion and rupture when the fabric blank during knitting is subjected to a normal degree of tension,

which includes knitting the narrow article blank part of the finished article on an adjacent group of needles of. the same needle bank and also subje'ct to the tension applied through said take-up roll, and thereby distributing and absorbing the normal tension developed through the take-up roll, which would otherwise be concentrated on the narrow blank and the narrow group of needles knitting the same, between said article blank and the auxiliary fabric, and over an area of needles of the needle bank wider than the narrow blank, and withdrawing the auxiliary fabric after the narrow article blank has been completed and relieved of the take-up tension.

, JACOB A, GOODMAN. 

